Ole Miss Basketball Stuns No. 4 Tennessee 78-76

Ole Miss shocked No. 4 Tennessee on Wednesday night in Oxford.

Mar 5, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels guard Matthew Murrell (11) reacts against the Tennessee Volunteers during the first half at The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images | Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

Ole Miss basketball took on No. 4 Tennessee on Wednesday in the home finale for the the Rebels and would go on to stun the Volunteers 78-76.

It was a back-and-forth game all 40 minutes, with Tennessee's largest lead being just nine points. The Rebels and Volunteers battled the entire first half, with Tennessee taking a 41-36 lead into the intermission. It continued to be a battle the entire second half as well. Ole Miss would jump out to a 74-70 lead inside of three minutes remaining, and Jaemyn Brakefield would play hero, scoring a go-ahead putback shot with 7.5 seconds left to win it for the Rebels.

As a team, Ole Miss shot 45.6% from the floor, 26.3% from three-point range, and 78.6% from the free-throw line. Jaemyn Brakefield led the team in scoring with 19 points, followed by Malik Dia with 13, Dre Davis with 13, and Matthew Murrell with 12.

As a team, Tennessee shot 46.3% from the floor, 38.7% from three-point range, and 82.4% from the free-throw line. Jordan Gainey led the Volunteers in scoring with 17 points, followed by Chaz Lanier with 15, and Felix Okpara with 13.

Ole Miss played one of it's most physical games all season, which helped to slow down a red-hot Volunteer offense. But despite the physicality, Tennessee's ball movement gave the Rebels trouble, with the Volunteers racking up 21 assists. Wednesday's game was the definition of a dog-fight, and was wire-to-wire from start to finish.

Pulling off the upset over an AP Top 5 team with just one game remaining in the regular season is an enormous momentum booster, which is especially key in March. Not only does the win boost morale, it boosts the Rebels' tournament resume. The Rebels slid to a No. 8 seed in the Midwest in the latest NCAA Tournament projections, and Wednesday's win should serve as a major resume booster.

Ole Miss hits the road to take on Florida on Saturday, closing out the regular season. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. CT and will be televised on ESPN2.